Are you currently working or studying at The University of Manchester or a recent graduate?

Is your idea likely to benefit the public or community, or be an entrepreneurial solution to a societal, healthcare or environmental problem?

Do you have the passion to drive your idea forward and set up a project or social business?

Awards

Funding from £500 – £2000 is available, for individuals to try out or grow their entrepreneurial ideas. This might mean finding out if your idea is viable, learning more about what is needed to develop the idea by testing the project on a small scale, right through to more robust road-testing of the idea. We also provide one to one support to assist you with your applications and informative workshops for successful applicants.

Eligibility

The funding opportunity is open to all members of staff, academics, research students and recent graduates (graduated within the last 2 years) from The University of Manchester.

The event hosted on Wednesday 12th October here at the Innovation Centre was attended by members of staff, research students and recent graduates from The University of Manchester with the aim of helping individuals to understand what Social Enterprise is, and how they could explore their ideas in more detail.

The event kicked off with Social Entrepreneur Alison Edmonds from Epic Steps CIC, who gave an inspirational talk covering her background and the drivers that led to her setting up her own social enterprise. The second part of the event was led by UMIP Social Enterprise Ambassador, Nickala Torkington, who spoke about the critical success factors in developing a social enterprise project. Nickala ran an interactive session where in groups, the attendees were encouraged to explore their project ideas, think about what the social benefits would be, and to try to identify what would be the next steps to test, trial or develop their ideas in order to take them forward.

UMIP Social Enterprise Ambassador, Nickala Torkington discussing what a social entrepreneur is

The event closed with UMIP Enterprise and Business Development Manager, Dr Laura Etchells, announcing that applications are Now Open for funding of between £500 – £2000, for individuals to try out or grow their entrepreneurial ideas. This can include finding out if their idea is viable, learning more about what is needed and trying the project on a small scale right through to more robust road testing of the idea.

UMIP Enterprise and Business Development Manager, Dr Laura Etchells discussing the support available

The deadline for applications is Friday 4th November. For more information and to download an application form click here

Are you a University of Manchester member of staff, an academic, a research student or a recent graduate?

Is your idea likely to benefit the public or community, or be an entrepreneurial solution to a societal, healthcare or environmental problem?

Do you have the passion to drive your idea forward and set up a project or business?

This workshop is specifically designed to help you understand what Social Enterprise is and how to explore your ideas in more detail. At this workshop you will discuss how to prove if your idea is feasible, work out what the beneficiary values, explore how to support the idea moving forward, testing your idea and of course how to apply for UMIP Social Ignition funding.

The Social Enterprise Team at UMIP and Manchester Enterprise Centre (MEC) were delighted to walk away with a series of accolades at the UnLtd SEEChange Recognition Awards for Social Enterprise which were held in London on 10th June 2015.

Not only did the University retain the prestigious Higher Education Institute of the Year Award for Supporting Social Entrepreneurship but many of its social enterprises and key projects also won awards.

Shon Lewis and Charlie Stockton’s Clintouch, a new technology which supports people with pyschosis won the Outstanding Innovation Award. Edwin Broni-Mensah, who graduated just under 5 years ago and was one of the first student winners of an UnLtd development award and a Venture Further finalist in 2010, was a runner-up in this category.

Ruth Daniel won the Social Enterprise of the Year Award for her work with In Place Of War, an award-winning initiative which helps to build powerful networks, create social change through creativity and demonstrate the value of the arts to public space, public life and public debate. Amy Win was shortlisted in the same category for her project 4Lunch.

Adam Garrow won the Outstanding Achievement Award for Jolly Wheezers and Dr Laura Etchells from UMIP and Dr Martin Henery from MEC were both runners up in the Social Entrepreneurship Champion of the Year category.

James Thompson, Associate Vice President for Social Responsibility at the University commented:

“Social entrepreneurship is at the heart of our University culture and infrastructure and these successes are a great demonstration of that commitment to enterprise, research with social impact and social responsibility. This is a well-deserved show of recognition for the work of MEC, UMIP and all of the staff and student winners and runners-up.”

This series of discussions has been developed to help award winners shape their social enterprise and gain support for growth and development. These events will be led by UMIP’s Social Enterprise Ambassador, Gill Green (www.stormskillstraining.co.uk) with this second session focussing on:

You will get to hear from social entrepreneurs and experts who have run successful community enterprises. You can get help and support from a range of organisations through a range of fantastic workshops and one-to-one advice to help you progress your enterprising ideas.

You will also get to hear more about Power to Change, a £150m Big Lottery funded initiative, backed by Trinity Mirror and the National Lottery, set to open later this year that will support community-led enterprise across England.

Join us from 11.30am for a buffet lunch and hear from a wide array of social entrepreneurs from within The University of Manchester. There will also be some talks from a selection of guest speakers. This event provides the perfect networking opportunity for you and colleagues not only to hear about opportunities in social enterprise but also to discuss your ideas with experts in the field and to support the UMIP Award Winners.

As part of HEFCE’s £2 million programme to strengthen and broaden support for Social Enterprise in Higher Education Institutions, UMIP is delighted to announce the Social Enterprise Competition Round 2 is NOW OPEN.

On Tuesday 7th October, The University of Manchester and UMIP welcomed a delegation from Thailand to its Innovation Centre to hear about the University’s social enterprise and social responsibility agenda through a series of presentations and case studies.

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